turn to
Britishverb
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Begin work, apply oneself to, as in Next he turned to cutting wood for the fire . This usage was first recorded in 1667.
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Refer to, consult, as in She turned to the help-wanted ads . This usage was first recorded in 1631.
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Appeal to, apply to for help, as in At a time like this one turns to one's closest friends , or We'll have to turn to the French consulate for more information . This usage was first recorded in 1821. Also see turn to good account .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When it gets cold, many people turn to hot water bottles and blankets - but there are other ways to warm your body.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
If you’re on your own with the decision, you have to turn to online calculators and self-directed software programs like Boldin and MaxiFi, which are available for a fee.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
The release of the latest data was delayed Thursday by ongoing disruptions due to a global cyber-security vulnerability, which prompted Statistics Canada to turn to a business continuity plan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
It’s Hurts’ turn to receive some of that same criticism, I suppose, but what fuels it is especially disgusting.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
Now it’s my grandmother’s turn to look like she’s seen a ghost.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
